BY KEITH EPPS

A timely visit from a friend helped thwart an attempted robbery at a Stafford County home Tuesday evening, authorities said.

Sheriff's spokesman Bill Kennedy said the victim, a man in his mid 60s who lives on High Street in Vista Woods subdivision, was in his living room about 6:50 p.m. when he heard a noise coming from a side door in the kitchen.

The man went to investigate and saw two men entering his home; one had a knife and the other had a small handgun. The intruders took the resident to the ground and began assaulting him while demanding to know where his money was.

One of the men continued holding the victim down while the other went looking through the house. During the ensuing struggle, the victim was hit in the head with the gun and unsuccessfully tried to pry the gun away from the intruder, Kennedy said. He also tried to call 911 at one point, but one of the men noticed what was going on and broke the phone.

The robbery attempt ended abruptly when a friend of the victim showed up and knocked on the front door. The friend was unaware that anything was amiss, Kennedy said, but his presence spooked the men, who ran out the back door, jumped a fence and ran into the woods.

Police were called immediately and Deputy Dustin Walker arrived shortly after the men left. Other deputies also rolled into the area, and a perimeter was set up and a police dog was brought to the scene, but the intruders were not found.

The men were described as "skinny" white males between 5 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall. They were dressed in all black, including black ski masks.

Kennedy said there were indications that the men had "prior knowledge" of the residence, but he declined to elaborate.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff's Office at 540/658-4400 or Crime Solvers at 540/659-2020.

Keith Epps: 540/374-5404
Email: kepps@freelancestar.com